About Founder

Deshmukh was born on May 26, 1945 in Babhalgaon in the Latur district. He graduated with a degree in Science (B.Sc.) and Arts (B.A.) from M.E.S Abasaheb Garware College, (Pune University) and went on to study law (L.L.B.) from the ILS Law College (Pune University). He started social activities in his early youth with particular interest in drought relief work. He was elected as the Director of the Osmanabad district Central Cooperative Bank and also of the Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank in 1979.

His wife is Vaishali Deshmukh, and he has three sons from her, Amit Deshmukh who is a MLA of Latur city, Ritesh and Dheeraj. His son Ritesh Deshmukh is a popular actor in Bollywood movies.

He has one younger brother Diliprao Deshmukh, who is a MLC and served as Ex. Minister of Relief, Rehabilitation, Sports, Youth Welfare and Protocol. in the Maharashtra Government.

Political career

Deshmukh entered active politics and became member of the Babhalgaon Village Panchayat from 1974 to 1979 and its Sarpanch (village chief) from 1974 to 1976. He was a member of Osmanabad Zilla Parishad and Deputy Chairman of Latur Taluka Panchayat Samiti (Latur District Panchayat Committee) from 1974 to 1980.

As a President of Osmanabad District Youth Congress from 1975 to 1978, he worked for the implementation of Five Point Programme of the Youth Congress. He organised the youth in Osmanabad district and became President of District wing of the Indian National Congress.

He was Member of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly from 1980 to 1995 winning 1980, 1985 and 1990 elections. During this period, as the Minister of State and the Cabinet Minister, Deshmukh handled departments such as Home, General Administration, Cooperation, Public Works, Transport, Legislative Affairs, Tourism, Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development Fisheries, Industry, Rural Development, Education, Technical Education, Sports and Youth Welfare,

He lost the elections in 1995 with a margin of 35,000. He was re-elected to the State Legislature from Latur Constituency in the elections held in September 1999 with a strong comeback winning with a margin of nearly 91,000 in two successive election, the highest in Maharashtra. He took oath as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra on October 18, 1999. He was Chief Minister till 17 January 2003, but had to step down in January 2003 and make way for Sushilkumar Shinde, a prominent Dalit member of Congress, following factionalism in the state unit of the party.

He was re-elected to the State Legislative Assembly from Latur Constituency in the Elections held in October 2004.

He has been a minister in various governments in Maharashtra from 1982 to 1995 holding portfolios of revenue, cooperation, agriculture, home, industries and education.

He took oath of Chief Ministership for the second time on November 1, 2004. In the aftermath of the November 2008 Mumbai attacks, he took the moral responsibility and resigned.

He subsequently entered the Rajya Sabha and was appointed to the Council of Ministers as Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on 28 May 2009.

Foreign Tour

Deshmukh had an opportunity to visit Japan, Thailand, Philippines, Taiwan and Hong Kong in 1980, to study Cooperative Movement in Amsterdam, Netherland and Agricultural Development. He also visited West Germany, France, England, United States and Japan in 1981. As the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, he led an official delegation in May 2000, to U.S.A. and UK and visited New York, Los Angeles, San Jose, Washington and London to interact with the investors to bring
investment to Maharashtra.

Manjra Project

From April 1995 to October 17, 1999, Vilasrao kept himself engaged in expansion of the Manjra Co-op. Sugar Mill. The Mill established a world record in 1994-95 and in 1997-98 by crushing the highest quantity of sugarcane. It has won 53 awards on national and international level for excellence in production and management.

Educational activities

Deshmukh founded the Manjra Charitable Trust which runs a number of colleges in Latur & Mumbai. Some of them are Manajara Ayurvedic Medical College & Hospital Latur, Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Technology at Versova, Andheri in Mumbai and Sushiladevi Deshmukh Vidyalaya at Airoli, Navi Mumbai.

Due to his long vision every farmer leaving in the manjara premices become "Samarudh". All development credit in latur district goes to him only.

His interests include reading, classical music, volleyball and table tennis.

Mumbai Cricket Association

Deshmukh has been elected unopposed as Vice President of the Mumbai Cricket Association (2009–2011), Election held on 10 July 2009.

Description

Vilasrao Dagadojirao Deshmukh (born May 26, 1945), popularly known as Vilasrao was the Minister of Science and Technology and Minister of Earth Sciences. He has previously held the posts of Minister of Rural Development and Minister of Panchayati Raj, Government of India and Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, Government of India.[1] He is member of Rajya Sabha representing Maharashtra. He was also a two-time Chief Minister of Maharashtra, from 1999 to 2003 and from 2004 to 2008. He was a member of the Indian National Congress and originally belonged to Latur district in the Marathwada region of the state of Maharashtra.